The
International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed that the former
world No. 4 James Blake, who is currently the Tournament Director of the Miami
Open, has accepted a sanction for violating tennis anti-corruption sponsorship
rules. The American cooperated with the investigation, as reported by the ITIA.
The former
tennis player is considered a "covered person" and must comply with
sports rules related to betting operators. According to the ITIA, the violation
of the regulations was unintentional, and a fine of $56,250 was imposed.
The imposed
fine will be accompanied by an additional suspended fine of $131,250 and an
18-month suspension, which is also suspended. These additional measures will
only be applied if a new violation occurs during the 18-month period, which
began on February 9, 2024.
The ITIA
acts as an independent body established by tennis members to protect the
integrity of international tennis. TACP rules state that: “No Covered Person
shall directly or indirectly, facilitate, encourage and/or promote Tennis
Betting (‘Facilitation’).”
Karen
Moorhouse, Chief Executive of ITIA, stated that this case is more about
perception than corruption:
“Across our
members – the ATP, WTA, ITF and Grand Slams – the rules prohibit accredited
individuals from having commercial relationships with betting companies.”
“This case
is more a matter of perception, rather than corruption. The rules apply to
players, coaches, officials and accredited tournament staff - who all have the
ability to influence results or have access to inside information,” she added
“We urge
anyone in the sport who is unclear or is considering commercial deals like this
to get in touch with us to seek guidance,” Karen Moorhous concluded.